Dubai, Mar 1: An incredibly strong India is set to fine-tune their spin game and give some second-string players a chance ahead of the semifinals as they face New Zealand in their final group stage match of the Champions Trophy this Sunday.
A victory in this league finale will secure India’s position at the top of Group A. However, this prideful spot holds little significance since they are poised to encounter either Australia or likely South Africa in the knockout round, both of whom possess formidable spin attacks.
Despite achieving two wins thus far in the tournament, Indian batters have shown discomfort against spin, and New Zealand, who have also secured a semifinal berth, could pose a challenging test.
In their previous matches, the key Indian batsmen primarily focused on playing cautiously against Bangladesh’s spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz (0/37) and Rishad Hossain (2/38), avoiding risks, which was also evident in their approach against Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed (1/28).
However, they will now face seasoned spinners Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell on Sunday, presenting perhaps their toughest challenge against spin so far this tournament.
Both Kiwi spinners are in excellent form and could excel on Dubai’s wearied surface.
Indian batsmen have adeptly negotiated spinners, securing singles and doubles while choosing to unleash their big shots against pace bowlers whose deliveries come at a quicker pace.
Yet, they will encounter 20 overs from Santner and Bracewell, along with a few overs of Glenn Phillips’ part-time off-spin.
India’s previous outing against Santner and Phillips in a home Test series last year, which resulted in a 0-3 defeat, still lingers. Now, they face Bracewell as well, who has been economical in his bowling, allowing just 3.2 runs per over across two matches.
Consequently, the performance of Shubman Gill, India’s standout ODI batter lately, batting legend Virat Kohli, who scored a morale-lifting century against Pakistan, alongside Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, will be crucial in determining the match’s outcome.
This performance will also hold significance for future matches, considering the deteriorating nature of pitches at the DICS.
Spinners Take Center Stage
There is a positive aspect to the spinners’ prominence in this tournament.
The decision to field five spinners—Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Washington Sundar—was met with skepticism before this high-profile event, especially given the previous success of pace bowlers at this venue.
However, what India has faced in Dubai are fatigued pitches following the recent ILT20, which largely validates the selection decision.
The three spinners India has utilized thus far—Jadeja, Axar, and Kuldeep—have performed admirably under the conditions, effectively restricting their opponents.
While they haven’t delivered any extraordinary performances, they have managed to keep opposition batters in check during the middle overs, with none exceeding five runs per over so far in this tournament.
A notable example of this was in the match against Pakistan. Despite a 100-plus partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, they struggled to accelerate between the 11th and 34th overs due to the Indian spinners’ exceptional execution, failing to find a boundary for nine consecutive overs.
Nonetheless, they may encounter a different scenario against New Zealand, as batters like Kane Williamson, Will Young, Tom Latham, Devon Conway, and Rachin Ravindra excel against spin.
If Indian spinners can effectively contain them, it would greatly bolster their already high confidence.
Opportunity for Fringe Players?
While India aims to maintain their momentum, they will also consider giving skipper Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami some additional time to reach peak form before the semifinals.
Rohit experienced some discomfort during the match against Pakistan and was absent from the field for around 20 minutes but returned to bat without apparent issues.
However, with no significant stakes attached to this match, management may opt to give Rohit a rest. If so, Rishabh Pant could make his tournament debut.
Additionally, there may be discussions about resting Mohammed Shami, who dealt with a calf issue during the match against Pakistan, thereby allowing him an extended recovery period before the semifinals on March 4.
As a result, Arshdeep Singh might replace Shami, and in-form Varun Chakravarthy could take Kuldeep’s place given his recent injury recovery.
Teams (from):
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Jacob Duffy.
Match starts at 2.30 pm IST. (PTI)
